Jets vs. Ravens: Full Roster Report Card Grades for New York

The Jets' season has taken a full 180-degree turn in just a few short weeks, as their second straight loss has pushed them out of the final playoff spot in the AFC.

Poor pass protection, dropped passes and erratic play from Geno Smith doomed the Jets from the start, but there still needs to be improvements from a defense that continues to allow big plays through the air.

Here are this week's roster grades following the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Quarterback

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Geno Smith: D

As bad his supporting cast was, Geno Smith turned in yet another cringe-worthy performance that never gave his team a chance to win the game.

He completed just nine passes against the Ravens and posted a quarterback rating of just 22.3. Furthermore, he threw two interceptions, which did nothing but draw more blame upon himself for his turnover-prone ways.

Smith needs to remain as the starter for the remainder of the season, but there is now plenty of doubt as to whether or not Smith is the Jets' answer at the position over the long term.

Wide Receivers

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Santonio Holmes: C-

Holmes was not given a bevy of opportunities to make plays, but he dropped a handful of catchable passes that stalled drives. The Jets need their top receiver to be as sure-handed as anyone, especially when the rest of the receivers are struggling.

Stephen Hill: F

As expected, Hill saw a huge dip in playing time with similar results on the stat sheet.

He was only visible when he was wide open in the end zone on a play that resulted in an interception. On that play, Geno Smith did not even look in his direction and made a poor throw on what should have been a score. Also, the fact that he did not even look in his direction says all you need to know about Geno's trust in Hill.

Greg Salas: C+

Salas only had two catches, but he was the Jets' top receiver on the day—which speaks more to the state of the receiving corps than Salas as a player. Still, Salas showed off some good speed and is deserving of the starting spot opposite Holmes.

David Nelson: F

Not only did Nelson finish without a catch, but he bobbled a catchable ball that was inches away from being an interception.

Josh Cribbs: B+

Cribbs was one of the few sources of offense form the wildcat formation. Not only did he add 20 yards on five carries, but he also completed the first pass of the game to none other than Geno Smith. Cribbs also added a pair of solid punt returns for a total of 26 yards.

Offensive Line

Everyone will want to attack Geno Smith, but the Jets' inability to protect the passer is the root of their offensive woes.

Brian Winters is a liability at left guard, as he was routinely beaten by Haloti Ngata. Even Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold is playing at a subpar level.

The Jets are also struggling to pick up blitzes—and not just from the offensive line. The running backs and tight ends have contributed to the problem as well, and it has completely taken Geno Smith out of his comfort zone, creating a rippling effect on the offense.

If this area of the game is not fixed immediately, the Jets are going to struggle to move the ball, no matter who their quarterback is.

Run-Blocking: C-

While it was not as horrendous as the pass protection, the Jets have struggled to move the ball on the ground against stout defensive fronts all season long.

The Jets running backs averaged a shade under 4.0 yards per carry on Sunday, but many of the yards were gained after contact, with the runners making yards on their own.

While the Jets were forced to abandon the running game because of the score, there is a lot of room for improvement in this area.

Defensive Ends

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Muhammad Wilkerson: A

Wilkerson was his normal, dominant self, adding two sacks and getting another tackle for loss. Wilkerson is now over the double-digit sack mark with five games left to play, which is an outstanding number for an interior defensive lineman. He is far and away the Jets' MVP through the first 11 games.

Sheldon Richardson: A+

Wilkerson may have gotten the sacks, but Richardson was the better player.

He was a menace as a pass-rusher, even if he "only" had a half-sack to show for it. Richardson was even more impressive in the running game. He had three massive tackles for losses, and there was one occasion in which he stopped Ray Rice in the open field, which is incredible for a 300-pound defensive lineman.

Leger Douzable: B

Douzable was stout in his rotational role with four tackles, and he even returned a short kickoff without embarrassing himself.

Linebackers

Harris did not make any "splash plays," but he performed his role well as a run-stuffer. He finished with nine tackles and was a big reason why the Ravens only averaged 2.2 yards on the ground.

Demario Davis: A-

Davis was at least as good as Harris against the run, but he contributed more by making some tremendous plays in space. He made one exceptional play to prevent the speedy Tyrod Taylor from beating him to the edge, preventing a big gain.

Calvin Pace: B+

Calvin Pace had a nice day overall as well. Not only did he set the edge in the run game, but he contributed with a sack (albeit a coverage sack) as well. He finished with four tackles, including one for a loss.

Quinton Coples: B+

This may have been Quinton Coples' best game of the season. His stat sheet may not have been extraordinary (0.5 sacks, 1 tackle for loss) but he was great when recognizing plays and getting pressure from the edge. It may have taken a while, but Coples is starting look like his old self for the first time all season.

Cornerbacks

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Dee Milliner: C+

Milliner is still not quite there, but he is making noticeable improvements.

He almost had his first career interception early in the game, shadowing his man well on a deep route while looking for the ball—a major step in his development. He was in coverage on the long touchdown to Jacoby Jones, but he was expecting help from a late Ed Reed.

Antonio Cromartie: C

Cromartie's struggles continue, and they are as difficult as ever to figure out.

He allowed a huge reception to Torrey Smith to break the game open, but he was in good position to make a play on the ball—he simply did not attempt to break the play up.

Special Teams

Folk was responsible for the team's only points with his lone field goal from 27 yards out. He was solid on his kickoffs, too, not allowing any long returns.

Ryan Quigley: B+

Quigley had his best outing of the season with plenty of solid punts in howling winds, including a 67-yard punt. The only negative in Quigley's game is that the Ravens were able to rip off a lot of long returns, as jacoby Jones totaled 108 yards on five returns.